One of the questions we get asked most often is "why should we hire an event planner" ?
There's a common misconception that planning an event is just making a few calls, sending a couple emails and then showing up to a spectacular evening that magically comes together...
This often results in a call a couple weeks before an event from a panicked and overwhelmed host who has only now remembered all of the things that they need to pull together for their event to happen the way they envisioned...and now with the event day looming over them they no longer have the time or capacity to do it without sacrificing their actual job, personal life or sanity....and that's where we come in.
It's no secret that planning an event can be extremely stressful. In fact, Event Coordinator is continually in the Top 10 list for Most Stressful Careers - we made #6 for 2023 in this article by Business News Daily.
Between managing vendors, hiring and training staff, coming up with creative and memorable concepts, organizing logistics, planning operations, food and beverage and VIP programming, licensing, entertainment, production, budgeting, marketing, updating paperwork, and so much more...a single event is often considered to be it's own business within a business.
Live events often come with a broad scope of moving parts and unusual contingencies. In addition, they are also often under a lot of scrutiny with corporate and government agencies, brands, media, the ever-powerful impact of the public eye and social media...not to mention the pressure of pulling off the "perfect" event for your family and friends that will be talked about for years to come...it's no surprise to us why people hire event planners to help make sure these highly-valued and impactful projects go off without a hitch.
There is also the important consideration in that throwing a well-thought out, creative and unforgettable event or party can be an expensive task to take on. You want to make sure that every dollar is being used effectively and that cuts are made in the right places that don't cause detriment to the operation of your project.
People are busy and life can already feel so hard to keep track of, staying on top of all the aspects of an event plus all that life throws at us can be a challenging task and feel incredibly overwhelming.
If you're not used to the pressure, it can impact the success of your event and not to mention your enjoyment of the project you have invested so much in.
Depending on your situation and experience, your planner can be involved in the planning process as much or as little as you'd like. We are well-equipped with an abundance of industry knowledge and invaluable insight from having been through the process many times over and can help guide and advise on every detail.
Here are our Top 7 reasons why hiring an Event Planner can help you:
1. We are bursting with Creative Ideas & Expert Advice
One of the best parts of having a planner on your team is their abundance of industry experience and insight. A seasoned team of event professionals are some of the most creative, resourceful and connected people on the planet.
Throughout our careers we have been witness to countless amazing guest experiences, out of this world creative displays, spectacular entertainment, incredible catering and beverage programs, out of the box venues and so many wonderful, endlessly talented humans that join forces to put it all together and make it all work under what are sometimes extremely challenging conditions.
All of this experience and knowledge expands and increases with every project we complete and every associate we meet. Our exposure to these items and individuals gifts us the expertise to bring all
kinds of amazing projects to life and create unforgettable experiences for thousands on thousands of people.
When you hire a professional event planner, all their experience comes with them as well as an unimaginable amount of grit, tenacity and the creativity it takes behind the scenes to make it all happen.
A professional planner will make sure no detail goes overlooked to bring your vision to life and that guests feel they are somewhere special while ensuring your event runs smoothly from concept to completion. We use our invaluable knowledge and resources to get you the best prices and partners who will do whatever it takes to make your vision a reality.
In addition, our specialty expertise will help you to incorporate clever details and sometimes small-seeming considerations in to your project that ultimately create big and lasting impact when it comes to the final execution and overall experience of your event.
2. We Can Help You Save Time & Money
Event Planners are accustomed to working with strict budgets and tight timelines. We work extremely well with deadlines and have done the research to make sure you are getting the best bang for your buck while creating the desired impact and working within the allocated funding.
We will be able to tell early on in the planning process whether your budget is realistic for the experience you are looking to provide and be able to suggest modifications or alternatives to achieve the desired feeling and impact within budgeting constraints.
We will meet with vendors or pre-vet vendors on your behalf so you are not wasting your time at appointments or in calls that are not conducive to your project. Our strong negotiating skills and knowledge of industry pricing averages will be added help in planning your event to be efficient and on budget.
A seasoned event planner will have a strong network of preferred vendors with whom they have long-standing relationships. These connections will allow them to negotiate the best deals that are not only the most friendly to your budget, but that also provide the specific services that are most complimentary to your vision and requirements.
Having these preferred vendors or "friendors", as we like to call them, allows us invaluable access to front-line industry knowledge from the experts of that particular field at no extra charge.
We will often call up our amazing network of event suppliers and brand representatives to help us out with industry-exclusive information, specialty pricing, specific best practices or expert advice on a particular aspect of an event to make sure we are acting and planning in the best interest of the event, the client and all associated partners or brands.
Some examples of our networks include: event rentals and equipment suppliers, venues, food and beverage vendors, caterers, entertainment companies, specialty staffing companies, photographers, videographers, activity and interactive games providers, musicians, DJs, A/V suppliers, on-site hosts and specialty service managers and so much more.
With our abundant experience, we know how to best structure your event based on your specific goals and what aspects of your event will have the most impact vs. what people will forget once they leave the venue, and therefore, where best to spend your dollars.
3. We Know That Every Detail Matters
A successful event planner is extremely organized, dedicated and passionate about their craft. They carry a wide-range of knowledge and awareness around all aspects of their job while still acknowledging that although they can't be experts in everything, they can contact people who are experts in that specific field and acquire the information they need to execute the project to its highest potential. They are committed to their projects, set hard deadlines and do whatever it takes to bring the vision to life.
Our industry experience has given us the expertise and awareness to identify blindspots in the planning process that someone without a trained eye may miss out on. We walk through the project from the perspectives of: the guest, the client, the sponsors, entertainers, brand ambassadors, vendors, suppliers, staff and everyone else in-between while considering all specifics and strategic placements of the event elements to create maximum positive experience and lasting impact.
We will go through everything from furniture and infrastructure placements to colour theory when it comes to lighting and branding down to scents and sounds with a fine tooth comb to transform even the most bare and basic of venues to a magical place. By creating detailed timelines, production maps and schedules, every detail is mapped out and accounted for to ensure nothing gets missed.
Due to the often large amount of moving parts and involved parties in events, it is imperative that paperwork remains updated and organized throughout the duration of the planning process through to event reconciliation so everyone can stay in the loop when it comes to event progression and status.
The amount of administration to keep track of can very quickly become extremely overwhelming and time consuming, especially if you have never done it before.
An event planner will already have the templates made and the processes ready to handle all this paper-pushing for you.
Just ask them for the info you are looking for and they will likely have it to you out of a neatly organized and colour-coded file in a pinch, making sure you have the time you need to do your actual job and enjoy the unique experience you have spent so much time invested in bringing to life.
4. We Reduce Stress and Give You Peace of Mind
In current times, it feels like we are all needing easier ways of doing things in our lives and to eliminate as much stress as much as possible.
When it comes to your celebrations and corporate events, the way to do that is to hire an event planner.
A professional planner will put your mind at ease. After being contracted, we will be available to answer any questions you may have, bounce ideas off of, help make decisions and alleviate any concerns to organize the event you are envisioning while ensuring a positively memorable event experience.
Your only job is to give us your vision, budget, objectives and expectations, and we will take care of the rest so you can actually enjoy your event along with your guests.
A professional planner will make sure all your vendors and suppliers are booked, deposits paid, creative assets are designed and ordered and all details including the production timeline are communicated to the appropriate parties well in advance.
We'll schedule load ins and outs for every vendor, compile a run-of-show schedule and be the point person to coordinate all day-of needs, direct the teams on-site to ensure everything goes to plan and all aspects of the event run smoothly so you have the time to truly savour the unforgettable moments, mingle with your guests and dance the night away without worrying about a thing.
You unburden yourself from the stress of planning and managing the event with the knowledge that your trusted event planner will be there to cross all the t's and dot the i's, be on top of every detail and handle
any unforeseen problems so that everything runs smoothly and all programming happens on time, allowing you to have beautiful memories of your event rather than recollections filled with stress and pressure and spirals about "what could go wrong".
An event planner will give you the peace of mind to be able to enjoy your own event and make memories you cherish alongside your guests while your planner does all the hard work in the background!
A bonus for corporate events is that your expense report will only have a couple of invoices on it to present to accounts payable, streamlining your accounting reconciliation process far away from sorting and entering the dozens of receipts often acquired in planning an event.
Second bonus is that you'll still get all the water cooler credit for the amazing time all your colleagues had at your last work event!
5. We Are Knowledgeable about Event-Related Legal & Licensing Requirements
One of the most overlooked aspects of event planning are the governmental agencies legal and licensing requirements for special events.
This includes things like: City and Municipal Applications and Ordinances, Special Event Permits and Liquor Licenses, Temporary Food Service Licensing, Staff and Entertainment Licensing, Room Capacity, Fire
Codes, Security Plans, Technical Engineering Permits, General Health and Safety Standards and more.
When you work with a professional event planner you can lean on them for specialized knowledge about
the relevant licensing and regulations required for your event and be sure that they will hire the right teams to uphold the associated rules so you can have peace of mind.
By hiring a professional who is knowledgeable about the local regulations and limitations, you will be able to avoid a myriad of potential costly problems.
6. We are Always Ready for the Unexpected
Regardless of the amount of time put in to planning or the number of years of experience of the planner, there is always the chance that something doesn't go as planned. Event planning is a rigorous process and no matter how much you plan to the last detail, a flash of rain or a sick chef can derail the whole day.
A professional planner will have the experience to see most issues that could arise in advance and plan contingencies. This will also possess the tools and knowledge required to think on their feet and fix things on the fly.
This kind of adaptability is not something that can be easily trained and is often only acquired through years of experience, and is a huge asset in the event that something goes wrong. A great event planner's quick thinking can turn a potential disaster to a positive and memorable experience with a quick solve or move to Plan B.
This is probably one of the strongest benefits of hiring an event planner.
7. We are Dedicated to Creating Something Amazing
Everyone wants to host The-Best-Event-Ever.
The one that is remembered for all the right reasons, that leaves a lasting impression and is considered an overwhelming success by all those that attended.
In order to pull off that kind of experience, you have to make sure all the details are tended to and nothing gets missed. Your event planner is all-in from the day we are contracted and committed to understanding and executing your vision exactly the way you saw it happening.
A good planner will go above and beyond to make your specific vision a reality. They will ask the right
questions and get in your head about what is valuable to you in regards to your event and the goals you are looking to achieve.
We will help you to best utilize the available space, select decor and entertainment that suits the theme and create a cohesive look and feel that really speaks to your brand or occasion.
As event planners, we are trained to think outside the box and find creative value-adds and clever enhancements to event plans and programs that someone without the background would not have thought of.
It is our pride and passion to create well-designed memorable experiences that carry lasting impact long after the event is over while ensuring a positive experience for all parties involved.
Written by EMM Creative Arts Co. - 03.13.2023
EMM Creative Arts Co. (c)
Comments